Author Archives: Tony Johnson

Who Has It Better Than Us Sailors?

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Tony Johnson

I have great affection and respect for the hard-won traditional arts of the sailor. Every modern sailor must still, to this day, master them just like the mariners of yesteryear. This ancient body of knowledge, plus some other aspects of … Continue reading →

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Red Right Returning

Posted on February 18, 2024 by Tony Johnson

Sailing into an unfamiliar harbor is fraught with peril for mariners, terrifying if you are seeking shelter from a storm. The entrance to San Francisco Bay is one of the most dangerous on the West Coast. The combination of strong … Continue reading →

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Who Has It Better Than Us Sailors?

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Tony Johnson

I have great affection and respect for the hard-won traditional arts of the sailor. Every modern sailor must still, to this day, master them just like the mariners of yesteryear. This ancient body of knowledge, plus other aspects of sailing … Continue reading →

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Very Old Salts

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Tony Johnson

After 40,000 sea miles including a circumnavigation, some might picture me as an old salt who loves the sea. It’s a good guess, as I’m for sure old. But I have little affection for the sea. One wants one’s love … Continue reading →

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A Look Back on My Time at Tradewinds

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Tony Johnson

I’m cutting back my teaching schedule, and thought it might be time to reminisce a bit about my experience at this club. When I first came to Tradewinds over three decades ago, all I was looking for was another outdoor … Continue reading →

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Nautical Terminator – Capes & Points

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Tony Johnson

Does it bother you that Cape Mendocino, which looks like a point, is called a “cape,” while Point Reyes, which looks like a cape, is called a “point”? Cape Hatteras is more of a bump but still gets the title … Continue reading →

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Nautical Terminator – Animals!

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Tony Johnson

You can’t help but notice how common it is that things related to seafaring are named after animals. In a house you’ll find a table, chair, bed, cupboard, bookcase, rafter, gable, and joist. But aboard a ship in the great … Continue reading →

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Nautical Terminator – Horse Latitudes (Part 2)

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Tony Johnson

When last I wrote about the Doors’ song, Horse Latitudes, I was skeptical about the practice of jettisoning live horses at sea, or even dead ones, for these reasons: They could be used for food if all provisions had run … Continue reading →

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Nautical Terminator – Horse Latitudes (Part 1)

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Tony Johnson

In 1967 The Doors released their second album, Strange Days, which included a creepy song called Horse Latitudes. The song alludes to live horses being “jettisoned” from ships and suffering in “mute nostril agony,” presumably to lighten the load or … Continue reading →

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Nautical Terminator – Doldrums

Posted on March 21, 2023 by Tony Johnson

Ever feel like you’re “in the doldrums”— where everything seems bleak and colorless, and there’s nothing you can think of that sounds like fun? Yeah, me neither.           The word comes from the old English dol meaning dull. Appended to … Continue reading →

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